Monday

The Dog Rambler E-diary

top 06
February 2012
Walk Dogs on walk

Along the Pencaitland Railway walk Dylan, Jolie, Lucas, Maggie, Solo, Tim

Length

6 miles

Another glorious sunny day with clear pale blue skies. Cold and frosty underfoot. Until a later thaw set in handing me back dirty dogs at the end of the walk. And this a good well made track walk too. I am beginning to think that Solo is deliberately seeking out the dirtiest places. But it was not just him. Jolie and Tim too were rather brown underneath. Jolie also with a few of Tims paw prints up top. To top it all off, unseen, Dylan managed to roll in something with a distinctly bad smell. The bright crisp day had drawn people out. We had hardly set off from the roadside parking place, dipping down onto the Pencaitland Railway Walk track, half hidden by trees curling above a cutting through which it ran, when we met our first dog. The dogs still all excited, catching up after their weekend off, did manage to fall into heel. But Jolie and Maggie broke it as the man and his dog got within thirty feet. He was a little nonplussed eve though the dogs were only saying hello. His happy enough to try and get a sniff or two in before he pulled it away grumbling under his breath. Happy Monday morning to you too.

The cutting receded and the sun swept across the track, picking out the ploughed earth furrows in the fields to either side. We were dead on course to meet another couple with a dog at a crossroads on the track. We went a little faster to try and beat them but it just resulted in us meeting as their path joined the track. This time a hello and a more controlled approach from the dogs. Excited at having done well and been praised Jolie, Lucas and Tim nosily wrestled along the track. But yet another dog up ahead brought them back again. We had covered less than a mile and three dogs already. This one just a wee youngster was keen to join us. As its owners perused the information board beside the car park at Ormiston their dog leapt about with Maggie and Jolie. Then raced off after Solo who gave it little attention. So it came back to run around Lucas, with Jolie and Tim joining in. By now I had stopped, otherwise it may just have kept on with us. Eventually its owners noticed how far it had gone and called it back. It only took a few calls for it to respond and we too were off again. The track gently swayed through the bright East Lothian countryside. Many birds calling and singing, making as though it was Spring already. The frozen over puddles giving a lie to that. The burn beside the track ran clear. It noise tricking out though the undergrowth and Maggie managing to find numerous ways into it to splash about. Running back to join us, she passed a preoccupied Dylan in the process. As he sniffed and sniffed and obviously at some point rolled. Solo was at the back, then at the front like a yo-yo. Jolie, Lucas and Tim broke out into several chases but none lasted long. It was Maggie who led the biggest one after we had turned to head back. She then got caught up in a tug of war with Tim over a good sized stick. Solo looked interested in it for a second or two before moving on leaving them to tug at it. Lucas began to step back to join me leaving Jolie to dash about by herself. Another couple of dogs, held tightly on leads as we approached were navigated with ease and apart from two more close encounters of dogs who turned off the track before we met

it was a clear run for them back to the car. Nick

Photo slideshow from the walk

Follow The Dog Rambler on Facebook and access the e-diaries online

Ramblesnacks
The Dog Rambler www.thedogrambler.com nick@thedogrambler.com t. 0131 665 8843 or 0781 551 6765

Ramblesnacks healthy, homemade treats for your dog with no artificial flavours or preservatives. Order your 200g bags now - Heartbeets, Banana Boost (1.50 each) and Peanut Choc Chip Cookies (1.75).